November Motorcycle ride to benefit veterans

From left to right: Sgt. Jacob Delagarza, Sgt. T.J. Tejada and First Sgt. Nick Hamm stand near the chopper they are building at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota last year. FIRST SGT. NICK HAMM

Injured Warrior Appreciation Run 2013

7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 1

Injured Warrior Appreciation Run riders and passengers must register to participate. The fee is $30 for riders and $25 for passengers. The fee includes lunch, a pin for the first 500 riders and an identifying ribbon for the bike. Riders and passengers must sign a waiver to participate. More than 300 riders participated in the 2012 Injured Warrior Appreciation Run.

The details: All bikes are welcome. The staging begins at 7:30 a.m. at Orange County Harley-Davidson, 8677 Research Drive, Irvine. The group departs at 9:30 a.m. on its escorted group ride to Camp Pendleton.

How are donations used? All proceeds benefit the combat wounded, ill and injured warriors at Camp Pendleton through the Warrior Foundation Freedom Station.

The loud hum of more than 400 motorcycles will travel through Orange County on the way to San Diego on Nov. 1.

Participants in the Injured Warrior Appreciation Run will hop on their bikes at Orange County Harley-Davidson in Irvine and take the more than 47-mile ride down the I-5 freeway and into Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.

This is the second year the Orange Coast Harley Owner's Group organized the event. Two and a half years ago, when Kim Kohlenberger stepped up as director of the group, she set a goal for herself: to leave something behind before she was done. That goal motivated Kohlenberger to start an event that would benefit veterans, a cause that's close to her heart.

“My dad is a really big influence on me,” said Kohlenberger, whose father flew in the Army Air Force during World War II. “He was always my oak, and one thing he always taught me was that you want to leave something behind before you check out.”

Kohlenberger, who plans to ride in the November event, participated last year. She remembers getting goose bumps and tears welling in her eyes.

“When you get to the base and you are actually able to sit down and talk to the injured warriors and go to the battalion where the injured warriors live, we have lunch with these folks,” she said. “And you sit down with them and you break bread with them and you share stories. Those stories get to your heart.”

The event benefits the Warrior Foundation-Freedom Station, a nonprofit volunteer-based organization that honors and assists veterans who come home from fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. Freedom Station is a living area in San Diego where veterans can learn to transition back into civilian life.

“They're beginning to live like a Mr. or a (Ms.), not a lance corporal anymore,” said Sandra Lehmkuhler, president of the foundation. “It's a stepping stone into the civilian world.”

The organization also helps the veterans land internships, get work experience and focus on projects.

One project was to build a chopper or a motorcycle from scratch. Lifelong motorcycle enthusiast 1st Sgt. Nick Hamm came up with the idea for the project, which was funded by the Warrior Foundation, as a way for himself and other veterans to work to accomplish something.

Hamm's left leg was severely injured in 2005 when his vehicle was destroyed by an improvised explosive device, or IED.

Once he came back, he went through the recovery process and was in charge of all the wounded warriors at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, commonly referred to as Balboa Hospital.

While overseeing the veterans at the hospital, Hamm said he noticed a lack of hands-on vocational therapy and training.

That's when he came up with the idea for the Warrior Chopper, the motorcycle he and other wounded warriors have started – and are almost finished – building from scratch.

They've customized the rusty brown-colored bike with military paraphernalia.

Hamm primarily helped organize the event last year but plans to ride this time around.

He and the others working on the motorcycle hope to be finished soon, and someone might ride it once the ride reaches the Marine base.

“Honestly, if it does get ridden, I'll be the one riding it,” he said, laughing.

From left to right: Sgt. Jacob Delagarza, Sgt. T.J. Tejada and First Sgt. Nick Hamm stand near the chopper they are building at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota last year. FIRST SGT. NICK HAMM
Participants in the 2012 Injured Warrior Run parked on their motorcycles at Camp Pendelton. COURTESY OF FITZPATRICK & PRINCE REAL ESTATE
2012 Injured Warrior Run participants ride their motorcycles on the I-5 freeway. COURTESY OF FITZPATRICK & PRINCE REAL ESTATE

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